It's Gonna Be Love
by I. heart. Fnick. N. Figgy
Summary: So basically, Troy and Gabriella are in their senior year at East High and everything is wonderful. But what happens when Gabriella's abusive boyfriend comes back into the picture, her father dies, and her mother starts treating her like a stranger? TROY!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own high school musical, it's characters, or it's content. Jeez! Now I'm sad! lol. It's Gonna Be Love 

**Part 1:**

**What if?**

"_Gabby, there's something I've been trying to tell you for a while, but I just haven't been able to find the right time and place to do it, yet," Troy Bolton, captain of the East High School basketball team told me._

"_Well," I said, patting the grass around me. "How about right now?"_

_He stopped momentarily to clear his throat, before taking a seat beside me and pulling me into his arms._

"_Gabby, I…"_

"_You what, Troy?" I called, watching in amazement as he drifted away from me. But it was no use. Troy was gone forever, lost in oblivion, and no matter how hard I tried, I simply could not reach out to him._

"Gabriella!" her mother shouted, ripping the sheets and blankets from her bed angrily. "Were you planning on waking up today, or did you expect everyone to just _stop_ everything they were doing and let you sleep?"

She decided to ignore the question. "What time is it, Mom?"

"Well…" she paused, flipping the face of her diamond-studded Rolex watch over on her wrist. "You've got ten minutes. So get up, now!"

Gabriella reluctantly obeyed the command, though her head was throbbing and her cheek was swollen. "I think I'm sick, Mom," she lied. "Can I stay home from school today?"

Maria Montez snickered. "What, are you serious? We're not gonna leave you in this house all alone."

Gabriella was awestruck. Did her mother actually… care? About her safety? Wow. That was new.

"Who would protect all of our finery," she continued.

_False alarm, _Gabriella thought. _The only thing she cares about is her stupid jewelry and all of that excess money. _She came out of her thoughts just long enough to hear her mother slamming the door behind her, shutting out all possible conversation about the way she treated her own flesh and blood. But what did she care, anyway?

-----------

"Gabby!" Troy shouted, lifting her off of the ground and spinning her excitedly. "It's senior year, and it's sooo gonna be worth going through classes!"

"Ya think?" She rolled her eyes, staring self-consciously at her nail buds. "Because I'm _still _the geeky genius girl, and I'm afraid I always will be."

"Yes, but that is you," he answered, hugging her with a great deal of satisfaction.

"And you are _our _geeky genius girl," Taylor called, coming from behind and embracing her. "Jeez, Gabs! Can you even _believe _that we made it to senior year?"

Gabriella looked down at her shoes, causing an awkward silence to spread over the elated group of friends. Taylor's expression changed from one of delight to one of concern as Troy gingerly wrapped his arms around Gabriella's shoulders.

"It's gonna be ok, Gabby," he whispered, letting her rest her head on his chest.

"I know."

"What's wrong?" the ever-oblivious Chad Danforth exclaimed stupidly, earning him a swat on the arm from an angry Taylor. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"Don't you remember Gabby's boyfriend, Adam? You know, from this summer? Man, Gabs, I feel terrible. How could I have been so stupid?" she asked herself, tapping her forehead with the heel of her hand. "Stupid, stupid Taylor!"

"No," Gabriella finally answered, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I'm just gonna have to get over it, anyway. Might as well be now. Hey! Why is everybody looking so sad? It's our first day of senior year at East High School, and it's gonna rock! Right Taylor?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. Forget about stupid Adam Johnson, and let's have some fun, ruling the school!"

Gabriella laughed quietly in response. "Now _there's _our Taylor McKessie. Besides, Adam has his own problems this year."

"Yeah, like probation," Troy added, laughing at his own mediocre joke.

Gabriella hugged him again, silently offering her gratitude. Troy Bolton, ever the conversation starter.

"I know you guys are saying nice things, because I heard my name!"

Gabriella cringed. "_Adam?!_" she spat disbelievingly. "What are you _doing _here? You're supposed to be… but you were… and I thought… what about…"

"Wow, Gabby! You haven't changed a bit," he cackled, adding something else under his breath. "You never _could _finish a sentence, could ya?"

Troy shot Chad a you-had-better-restrain-me look, encircling Gabriella's waist protectively.

"My, my," Adam said contently. "Is this your new excuse for a boyfriend? Troy Bolton, captain of the wimpy basketball team, and his geeky, gullible girlfriend, Gabriella Montez. How _did _you ever stoop to her level, Troy?"

It took all of his will power to keep Troy from pounding this loser on the spot. There was a list of things that he simply could not tolerate, and the first was people tormenting Gabriella. And worst of all was that, instead of fighting back, she looked as if she was ready to break. He knew that he needed to say something, _anything, _on her behalf, but what could he say.

"Hm," he said, silently counting to ten. "Guess he's just jealous that Gabby was too good for him. Isn't that just pitiful?"

"Listen, punk!" Adam shouted, gritting his teeth belligerently. "I should just…"

"Yes," Gabriella interrupted, knowing what he was going to say. "But you won't. C'mon guys. Let's go pick up our schedules before we're late for first period."

"You'll be sorry for that, you little good-for-nothing liar!" he called after them, shaking his fist furiously.

But something inside of Gabriella told her that she wouldn't be sorry for anything anymore, not with Troy protecting her.

**A/N: Ok, so I had a lot more to say in this chapter, but I thought it was about time to end it. lol. But don't worry; I'll post more chapters, as long as you make sure to REVIEW!! Besides, I already have parts of chapter 2 in mind. So tell me what you think, and if the reviews are good, I'll continue the story. Thanks!! **


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: All right, so whether or not I get a couple of reviews on this chapters is probably going to determine if I post the next chapter soon. So make sure to REVIEW!! It's Gonna Be Love 

**Part 2:**

**More Than I Can Take**

"Are you sure you don't want me to teach Adam a little… lesson? Maybe?" Troy pleaded, staring Gabriella directly in the eyes.

She shook her head. "No way. Adam is my problem, and you guys don't have to worry about him."

Troy scooted closer, taking one of her hands in his. "I'm not worried about Adam. I'm worried about you. Gabby, do you feel… _vulnerable_?"

"Well… I…" _What's the point in lying anyway? _"Yes. But it's still my problem. And I don't want anyone else to be held accountable when…" She stopped talking, allowing a few tears to form beneath her closed eyes.

"When what? Gabby, I know you. And right now, you're acting like you're afraid of something. I don't _want _you to be afraid, but you have to let me understand if you want me to help you."

"Troy, the late bell is about to ring," she reminded him. It was true, but she was glad for the interruption anyway. All of this was getting just a little bit too intense for the hit-and-run Gabriella Montez. But that was just the way she'd become. She remembered another time, before her father's brutal death, when her mother had actually acted like she cared; and before Adam had started hurting her in ways that she couldn't explain without doing the experience an injustice.

"So we'll skip the next class," he offered. "I'm all for playing hookey. And I have a feeling there are some things that you really need to get off of your chest right about now."

He was right, of course. That was all Gabriella really needed, wasn't it? To talk things out with the only person in the entire world who actually seemed to care about her at the moment. And that, she decided, was what she would do. "All right, Troy. Let's talk," she began, pausing briefly so that he could join her on the porch swing once again.

Her thoughts strayed back to the time when Troy had brought her here, to his 'secret garden'. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, and after that point, she'd always felt like she didn't want to get away from it for even a second. Now the hideout seemed like a danger zone; for whenever Troy brought her up to the magical wonderland, it was only because he believed there was something going on that needed to be discussed.

"Did I ever tell you the story about what happened with me and Adam that time that we broke up?"

"I don't think so. Would you like to?"

"Well," she stated, considering the idea. "That would be a good place to start the story. And I think if you knew the history, it would be a lot easier for you to relate to what I'm feeling right now. But Troy?"

"Yeah, Gabby?"

"Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"If you're sure you want to tell me, than I'm sure that I want to hear the story. But I just want you to know that you can take your time with all of this. You don't have to rush into anything unprepared."

She sighed deeply. "I know that. But this is important."

"Go ahead. But remember to take your time," he offered, gesturing that she should begin the story. But it didn't seem that simple to Gabriella.

"Well, maybe I should show you something before telling you the story." She pushed up the sleeve of her silky, turquoise baby doll top to reveal a scar; about two inches long, expanded over the length of her beautifully tanned shoulder. "This is the reminder that I have to face everyday. I remember that night like it was just yesterday. But who could forget such a night?" She stopped to clear her throat, pushing back the tears that were threatening to spill out over her cheeks.

"Before my dad died, and before Mom and I moved to Albuquerque, Adam and I were on good terms. We talked all of the time, and he even told me that he loved me every once and a while. But then _it _happened, and… and… well, everything was different. Adam came to my house that night, and he told me that we needed to talk. By then I was aware of the fact that he and my father had been very close, so, as you can imagine, I thought it was gonna be a very disturbing conversation. But I had no idea the lengths that Adam would go to in order to… to…"

She couldn't go any further, and she knew it. Bringing up the subject was like opening a fresh wound to the crisp, winter air; and Gabriella couldn't handle the pressure. "Gabby?" Troy asked. She rubbed her temples distractedly.

"I know what you're going to say, and I can do this Troy. Just gimme a second, all right?"

He shrugged.

"HetoldmethatIkilledmyfather!" It wasn't meant to come out like that, all jumbled and mixed together, but it had to be forced if she was going to say it at all.

"He _what?_"

_Jeez, Troy! Don't make me say it again!_

"He told me that I…"

"No, I heard what you said. What I don't understand is how he could do such a thing."

"Easy, I guess," Gabriella muttered under her breath. "And then the scar…"

**A/N: Ok, so I decided that that was a good place to end it. But I had a lot more to say… so make sure you REVIEW of you want to know how poor Gabby got the scar. Tell me what you think. (Although I'm pretty convinced that I went a little overboard with the emotions in this chapter. Lol!!) REVIEW!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Ok, so here is Chapter 3. Let me know what you think ASAP. Thanks!!**

**Disclaimer: sniff I… Do… Not… Own… HSM! But, man! Do I wish I did! lol**

It's Gonna Be Love 

**Part 3:**

**It's Gonna Be True**

"What about the scar?" Troy asked, trying not to let on exactly how curious she was making him.

"He… We were talking, and all of the sudden, he slapped me… and I fell against the wall. He started shouting and saying things like 'You killed George, you fool!' and 'You'd better go somewhere far, far away!' It scared me terribly, so I tried to call the police on the phone beside my bed. That's when I got the scar."

"Mmhmm," Troy nodded, taking mental note of the entire story.

"So he pretty much just snatched the phone from my hands, and then he pulled out this hideously disfigured fishhook. He snatched it across my arm, and then left. Just like that. Like he had nothing to be ashamed of, because he was punishing me for… for…"

"Killing your dad?"

"Yeaahh," she sobbed, burying her head in Troy's chest, her new favorite place to be.

And they sat there, just like that- Troy stroking Gabriella's hair and letting her cry- until the final bell of the school day sounded.

"Well, I guess we'd better go," Gabriella said, finally breaking the serene silence that had broken out over the two friends. "I have to walk home today."

"Are you _kidding_?! What if you run into Adam?"

"Don't even worry about that, Troy. I've seen Adam's new house, and it's nowhere close to the route that I have to take to get home."

Troy seemed to be considering the idea, and then a horrible thought popped into his head. He imagined Gabriella, alone, walking along the sidewalk unaccompanied, and then he saw Adam Johnson appearing from thin air and… No. He couldn't think about that. It was just too painful. "Well, at least let me walk with you, Gabby," he pleaded, stroking her arm.

"No way. Listen Troy. It was really nice of you to listen to me today, but I'm a big girl, believe it or not. And I can handle the whole Adam Situation all by myself. So you can stop playing Big Brother now, and worry about your _own _problems."

Troy was hurt, a little, but mostly confused. She thought that he was doing it for her good, but in reality, he needed to protect Gabriella for himself. It wasn't that he felt guilty whenever he wasn't around her; just that he couldn't imagine being responsible if anything happened to his very best friend in the entire world. He couldn't go on living. That was for sure.

"Are you… are you sure?"

"Positive. Just let me handle myself from now on." Even Gabriella couldn't understand why she was suddenly feeling so hostile.

----------------

Gabriella shuffled down the sidewalk of the suburban neighborhood, pressing her textbooks against her chest tightly, acutely aware of her surroundings. Every time something snapped, she jumped. Why did she have to be so stubborn? If it weren't for her stupid ego, she would've been sitting beside Troy in his old-fashioned pickup truck, making small talk instead of peeking around every corner, searching for danger, wherever it might be.

"Looking for me?" a voice from behind her sneered, causing her to drop all of her books.

"Adam? Where did you come from? And why are you here? Did… Did you… This place isn't even close to her house!" Gabriella wondered. Had he come by there just to see her? _Why didn't I listen to Troy?_

"Silly, silly Gabby," he cooed mysteriously, moving closer to her and draping his arm around her shoulder. "I came to see you. How have you been keeping our little secret lately?"

She felt caught, busted like a deer in headlights. "Well… I, you know…"

"NO!" he shouted, motioning to some of his large, muscular friends who had been sitting in a ditch. How could she not have noticed them before that? "I _don't _know! How about you explain it to them."

The biggest one of them, about six feet two inches tall, with broad shoulders and a grim expression on his face twisted his arms around her waist, and pulled her backward, cupping her mouth closed with his free hand. "What have you got to say for yourself now, Gabriella?"

A/N: Boo yah! Major cliffie. lol. But there is a major issue to be discussed, so let's just get right down to it, shall we?

I'm not getting enough reviews on this story, so please make sure to review this chapter. It is very important that, if you want to know what happens to Gabriella, you send a REVIEW! Right now! Click on Submit review or whatever and DO IT!! haha. But seriously, guys, it only takes like two minutes, and it really motivates me to keep posting the chapter quicker and quicker. So make sure to REVIEW!!!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: All right. So I haven't been getting as many reviews as I would've liked, but that's ok. Just remember to review this time, please and thanks!! It's Gonna Be Love 

**Part 4:**

**It's Gonna Be Free**

"So, what do you have to say for yourself now, Dear Gabriella?" Adam sneered, watching happily as the oversized thug tightened his grip on her waist. Of course, she couldn't have said anything anyway, because she was stunned to silence. "As you can tell," he continued, motioning to that marshmallow friend of his that he should release her. "I brought along some reinforcements. This is because we were expecting Bolton." He stopped talking long enough to look around the corner briefly. "Where is he, anyway?"

Gabriella felt a sob rising in her throat. Where was Troy? Why hadn't she let him walk her home? "Looking for me, Johnson?" Troy seethed, coming out from behind the corner. He draped his arm around Gabriella's shoulder, setting her at ease. "Well, here I am." Gabriella wondered how he could sound so calm.

"Even better. We've got something to say to you," Adam continued. He didn't seem at a loss for words even for a second. Had he predicted all of this? "MYOB. And in case you don't know, that means mind. Your. Own. Business. You read me?"

"Loud and clear," Troy answered, shoving him backward and punching him square in the face. "Oh, that wasn't what you wanted me to do, was it?"

Adam stared, dumbfounded, as he pulled two bloody fingers away from his nose. "You're gonna wish you hadn't done that, you jerk!"

"Oh?" Troy cocked his eyebrow, offering Adam a questioning glare, as if to say 'Bring it on, weasel.' It would've been quite entertaining, if not for the particular situation. "C'mon Gabby. Let's go. These losers must need some time to 'bask in their defeat' or something. Oh, and one more thing, Adam: You mess with Gabriella again, and you won't know _what _hit you."

"Is that a threat?"

"Not at all. It's a promise." He narrowed his eyes at Adam one more time before picking Gabriella's books up off of the sidewalk, and waltzing down the sidewalk, pulling Gabriella behind.

------------------

"You ok, Gabs?" Troy asked her, as soon as they were out of eyesight of Adam and his crew.

Gabriella inhaled shakily, realizing that it was the first time she'd taken a breath since Adam's hands had overtaken her. "N-n-n-no. Troy, I-I'm s-so s-sorry," she cried, burying her face in her hands.

Troy dropped her books on a whitewashed bench beside the road, and the two sat. "What do you mean? What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I-I-I…" she stuttered, trying to catch her breath. She coughed roughly. "I should've listened to you. He… he could have…"

"Yeah," he whispered, concern etching his face. "But he didn't."

"That's only be-because y-you…"

"You would've been fine anyway," he promised, embracing her gently.

"You think so?" came the muffled reply.

"No. I know so. Gabriella, you are the most independent, most efficient girl I've ever met. And no one, not even Adam Johnson, is going to take that away from you."

Reluctantly, Gabriella pulled her head lazily off of his chest and gazed into his sparkling blue-green eyes. "Troy, why are you so wonderful? What have I ever done for you to make you care about me?"

Troy chuckled. "Gabriella, I was surprised to find that even _Adam_ could know you and not love you. I admire everything about you, from your dazzling smile to your amazing olive complexion. You're the best friend I've ever had, and you're definitely not like other girls."

"I'll say," she mumbled, propping her head up on her fist. "I'm clumsy, I'm awkward, and I don't know how to handle myself in dangerous situations. Yeah, you're right. I'm really not like other girls."

Troy cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her forehead. "I hope you don't really believe that. Because that wasn't what I meant at all. You're not like other girls in that you'd be the perfect girlfriend; you don't complain about silly things, or worry _too _much about what you're wearing, or… or take forever getting ready for one little event, or…"

He never finished his sentence, because Gabriella decided that that was the right time. Wrapping her arms gently around his shoulders, she pressed her lips undoubtedly against his. And instead of pulling away, as she would've expected him to do, Troy pulled her closer, acknowledging the kiss.

"I love you Gabby," he whispered between short, savory kisses. "And I promise that I always will."

**A/N: All right, so this chapter wasn't really a cliffhanger. And there is a reason for that. That reason is that I am not getting reviews. So far I only have about two a chapter, and that is not good. So REVIEW! Review twice, if you want to. lol. But that all depends on whether or not I try to update by tomorrow. So REVIEW!!!**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I didn't get that many reviews, so I'm not going to post the next chapter until I get at least twelve reviews. And no, that's not a threat. It's a promise. lol.

It's Gonna Be Love 

Part 5:

**No More Fear**

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Troy asked, opening the door of the refurnished pickup truck for Gabriella.

"It's now or never, right?" She smiled anxiously as he plopped down next to her in the driver's seat.

"You know," he stated, caressing her cheek with his thumb. "I'm so proud of you, Gabby."

She giggled. "What for? All I'm doing is talking to Adam. I'll probably freak out and run anyway. What is _that _to be proud of?"

"True," he laughed. "But I can't tell you how many girls would have switched schools, changed their names, and basically just run scared. See? This is what I meant by being different."

Gabriella smiled, reminiscing on the contents of the previous day. "Yeah, I guess that makes a little bit of sense. But just to be sure, you _are _going to be with me the entire time, right Troy?"

"Oh, baby. Of course I'll be there! Unless you were planning on fighting off a senior quarterback that probably weighs twice your weight all by yourself…"

"Hmmm…" She pretended to consider the idea. "Yeah, I don't _think _so. Let's go, Mr. Basketball."

"Coming," he said, staring, bewildered, as she dragged him into the school behind her. _Jeez, how does she do that?_

-------------

"Well, if it isn't Gabriella Montez and her just-short-of-all-star boyfriend, Troy Bolton. Coming back for seconds?" Adam laughed maniacally, sending a wave of tension up Gabriella's arm.

"A-Adam, I n-n-n-need to talk to y-you…" Gabriella said, ignoring the obnoxious comment.

"All right. We'll talk. As soon as basketball lunk head _leaves,_" Adam spat his condition, and Gabriella wasn't surprised. She nodded to Troy and watched nervously as he backed away.

_No way I'm _actually_ going to let her out of my sight. Nice try, Adam, _Troy thought, pretending to be engaged in an animated argument about shoelaces versus no shoelaces with Chad.

"Okay, now that my terms have been met, what was it that you wished to discuss with me, dear Gabby?" Adam asked, inching closer with every syllable.

"W-well, I-I just wanted to request th-that you t-try and s-s-stay away for a while, b-because I might just tell P-Principal B-B-B-Barnes," she told him, slowly regaining her confidence.

"I might just tell Principal Barnes," Adam said in a mock-high voice, shooting Gabriella's confidence right through the ground. This _really _wasn't helping.

"Listen, Gabriella," he continued, trying to get his final say into the conversation.

"No _you _listen," Gabriella interrupted, pressing her finger against his chest. "I am _done_ pretending to be subordinate to you, and there's nothing you or anyone else can do to take that away from me. It's not my fault that you had some kind of problem with my father's death- because if it had an impact on anyone, it was me! - but I can't do anything about that now!" By this time, a crowd of onlookers had gathered around Adam and Gabriella, taking sides and chatting frivolously about the pros and cons of the two cases.

"Big mistake," Adam seethed, slapping Gabriella clear across the face. "I don't know who you think you are, Barbie, but _nobody _talks that way to Adam Johnson. So you'd best get your facts straight."

Tears threatened to spill over Gabriella's face as she slid down to the floor against her locker, but she promised herself that she would not give Adam the satisfaction of knowing that he'd made her cry.

Adam turned swiftly on his heel, only to find himself cornered by a furious Basketball Captain. "T-Troy," Adam laughed apprehensively. "What are you doing over here?"

"Well, I was just in the neighborhood by coincidence, but I see that I got here just in time for the show," he answered, making a show of cracking his knuckles, fire blazing in his eyes. "By any chance, could that poor girl have been Gabriella Montez?"

"M-Maybe?" Adam said, standing his ground though he was sweating like he never thought he could.

"And do you think that was very smart of you?" Troy continued, backing Adam into a wall.

"Perhaps not?"

"Good answer," Chad said, appearing beside Troy as if by magic. "Troy, buddy, what course of action do you propose we take in accordance to the crime?"

Troy sighed, backing away slowly. "Nothing, Chad. I don't even want to see this guy right now. Let's just go make sure that Gabriella's all right." He glared at Adam. "But don't even _think _this means you're off the hook."

A/N: Oooohh! Is Gabriella all right? And will Troy be able to manage without beating the snot out of Adam after such an act of violence? (lol) If you want to find out, then REVIEW! Right now, seriously. Twelve reviews is only a couple more, so I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get that many. Thank you for reading this chapter! Hugs and Kisses,

**!!C.J!!**

**P.S. REVIEW! lol. **


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